Better than coffee and lemon for weight loss.
What should I put in my superfood juice and why?
Now, before all the super foodie health nuts have a go at me, yes I know that eating fruits and vegetables is always better than juicing.
Even better, eating it all raw if you really want to get down to it.
However, if you are like me, and more moderate in your health regime, then having a little juice in your life can add some important vitamins, minerals and energy.
It's also a great way to increase fluids when, let's face it, water can be a little boring sometimes...
Bitter Melon - aka bitter gourd or bitter squash.
Whatever you want to call it, this is bitter. Very strong on the palate.
Which is not a bad thing, but over time we have shied away from the bitter foods. Perhaps you've heard of Swedish bitter herbs?
Bitters have been used traditionally for centuries to stimulate digestion, reduce sugar cravings, and regulate hunger.
You could use any bitter herb or bitter veg but bitter melon health benefits reign.
Bitter melon health benefits include a great way to attain low blood sugar home remedies.
Research has shown daily dose of 2000mg powdered bitter gourd health benefits are to significantly lower blood sugar in person with diabetes.
Bitter melon is one of the best foods that cleanse the liver and kidneys. The nutrients support the liver to produce bile. An important element in the body that breaks down fats.
Bitter gourd is a must have for the 3 day liver cleanse juice and weight loss juice or fast.
2. Grapefruit
The benefits of grapefruit have also been known for centuries. The ultimate anti-aging and slimming food. Every old timey movie has the upper echelon picking at half a grapefruit for breakfast. Through experience, they realised the benefits of eating grapefruit.
Now we know that grapefruit benefits weight loss and liver detoxification.
Grapefruit has a positive effect on losing weight and lowers insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance is one of the pre determining factors leading to type 2 diabetes.
Grapefruits are low in calories, high in fibre and can make us feel fuller quicker.
The only caveat here is that grapefruit can interfere with the metabolism of medications and other supplements so don't take your meds with it.
Other than that, the health benefits of grapfruit are numerous and definitely a must have in a juice to lose weight.
3. Lemon
Not sure where the lemon and coffee for weight loss idea came from.
However, lemon water and weight loss go, hand in hand.
I love lemon in our super healthy weight loss juice.
Also adds flavour.
Lemons promote digestion and make us feel fuller quicker.
Lemons increase metabolic rate and hence burn off more calories.
Lemons have a detoxifying and protective effect on the liver.
A clean, healthy liver helps the body to break down fats better and has an energising effect to the body.
More energy - more calories burned.
4. Cucumber
Cucumber juice for weight loss is a no brainer.
Not my favourite vegetable to be honest, but you don't feel it in this juice.
The benefits of cucumber on weight loss are numerous.
Cucumbers have a high water/fibre content, so fill us up quicker.
Cucumbers have a potential natural anti-diabetic effect. Stabilising glucose levels by regulating insulin release, and lipid (fat) lowering effects on the blood.
Cucumbers are useful in offsetting constipation, so important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract and helpful for weight loss also.
Cucumbers have also have a detoxifying effect on the liver.
5. Celery
Why is celery good for you?
Celery juice benefits the liver and weight loss because it inhibits lipid (fat) accumulation in fat tissues even in a high fat diet.
Celery also prevents fat build up in the liver, increases enzyme release, and has a detoxifying effect on the liver keeping it running smoothly.
The liver is the powerhouse of the body and so important in breaking down fats and metabolising, medicines, alcohol, cholesterol and more.
6. Beetroot
The numerous benefits beetroot have on weight loss are
reducing fasting glucose levels
protect the liver in a high fat diet
decreases production of the bad cholesterols.
The health benefits of beets also can be attributed to their high nutrient and low caloric content.
7. Broccoli
Why is broccoli good for you?
The benefits of broccoli are
high nutritional component
high fibre/low starch
combats constipation
high in folate - excellent for iron deficiency
maintains low blood sugar levels
All these factors ensure the nutrients for broccoli help you feel full because the body is satiated with the necessary vitamins and minerals.
8. Mint
The benefits of mint tea have been espoused for centuries. To be fair all herbs are nutrient dense, but I chose mint because
it's easy to grow in my garden
it's refreshing
The benefits mint offers are
turns fat into usable fuel
increases secretion of digestive enzymes
aiding breakdown of food
increasing fullness sooner
There you have it. Tastes great and beneficial.
Win-Win.
9. Cabbage
We have heard that a cabbage good for you?
However what are the cabbage benefits?
lowers bad cholesterol - even with a high fat diet
low in calories
high nutrient content - feel fuller faster.
helps liver metabolise cholesterol
Cabbage has been touted with the ability to "melt fat from your body". After reading the study below - maybe there is some truth to that after all.
10. Ginger (Optional)
Ginger tea benefits are numerous but what about adding this strong root to our juice?
The ginger root benefits are -
increase the HDL's - the good fats
decreased insulin resistance
increase fat burning
anti -inflammatory qualities
This is quite a strong flavour so maybe try a little to start off with. Not well tolerated by everyone.
Well there you have it!
My favourite go to juice at the moment.
Best juice for weight loss.
Excellent juice for liver cleanse.
Plus plenty of bonus benefits for beautiful skin, offset constipation, energy boost and healing a leaky gut.
Try it and let me know what you think.
I have some glass bottles that I fill and keep in the fridge for a few days.
Of course fresh is best, but something is better than nothing.
I am going out, right now to my lovely local Vietnamese fruit shop to pick up the ingredients to make a fresh batch.
After all this research, I have even talked myself into it. :)
References
By Sienna Wolke